Winter Walleye How-To

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fallschirmjaeger
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2018/12/09 19:31:46 (permalink)

Winter Walleye How-To

I suck at walleye fishing.  Even worse, I am a terrible winter fisherman.  However, I would love to put those boring winter months to good use.  I know there are some exceptional walleye fishermen on this forum.  Please share some information on how to catch winter Walleye here in Western PA.  Jigging, baits, structure/locations in creeks, etc.  Rod length/weight/type, line type/weight, weight types/amounts, etc?  Anyone have any good French Creek walleye tips for near Frankin?  Any input or strategies would be great.  Can we start with winter walleye square one basics and go from there?  No detail is too basic... Thanks guys for any help... This forum has been great.
#1

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    fallschirmjaeger
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/12 20:18:25 (permalink)
    Nothing?  Doe anyone have any tips?
    #2
    Porktown
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/12 21:05:25 (permalink)
    I am probably worse at catching winter eyes. Summer, Spring and Fall I am not very good at either. That said, I have caught an okay amount and have caught many from tips on these forums over the years. One thing about walleye for inland waters, people are a bit tight lipped compared to other species. Use the search function and I would bet that you will find a lot of techniques guys use. Whether they will work for you, who knows. I say that, as I have used, to my best ability and nothing.
    Someone that knows what they are doing, changes something minor that I am doing wrong likely limits out standing next to me! Best bet is to try to gather as much as you can and keep trying. God is good, he’ll throw you a bone every so often to help figure things out!
    From what I know about winter, many are deep, where water is more in the temps they like. Also where the bait is more comfortable. Or, where the bait is dying and easy pickings. I have tried it a bunch of times and nothing for my efforts. I don’t mind trying to put time in and figure out when not freezing my rear off. But winter fishing, has to have some sort of catching or just not worth it for me.
    #3
    BeenThereDoneThat.
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/12 21:49:41 (permalink)
    fallschirmjaeger
    Nothing?  Doe anyone have any tips?


    If this vid doesn't show what you need, there should be plenty others listed that might help.

    https://youtu.be/D-UEM16P5Ss

    Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919)~
     
     
     
      Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
     
    #4
    fallschirmjaeger
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/13 06:32:44 (permalink)
    Thank you Porktown and BTDT... I appreciate your input and responses.  I've been doing a good bit of reading and watching videos and I was just hoping someone would have a some tips specific for our local water (French and the Allegheny) for river walleye.  Colors, weights, jig styles etc I think matter a great deal when youre dealing with cold finicky fish and I also think local fish tend to like specific things and I'm just trying to figure them out.  I will take both of your advice and keep searching.  If anyone else would like to share some tips but do not want to broadcast them, shoot me a PM.  
     
     
    #5
    Guest
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/13 08:32:16 (permalink)
    If you’re on Facebook check out Steel City Anglers Fishing Forum. There have been lots of walleye related posts on there in the past week or two.

    I’ve never fished for late fall/winter eyes so I got nothin’ but hope ya find some good info there.
    #6
    CAPTAIN HOOK
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/13 09:35:05 (permalink)
    River Walleyes start to gather in late Jan .- March to spawn in our areas . Look for a warming spell during any of these months to trigger more activity or try mid day on.
    Our go to lure .....Rapalas ....pick a color they all work...I like F13 size. Try and find any obstructions in the water farther up river or where you have caught Walleye before in spring. 
    These river Eyes were caught by my son a few years ago ...along with others. Cold wading and fishing but it pays off some days!

     
     
    #7
    FishinGuy
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/13 12:11:12 (permalink)
    I fish Creek chubs for them. Bigger seems better for bait for me. 1/8 oz jig head or short shank hook with a split shot about 6" up. Cast up into a current seam and drag it real slow along the bottom. I do better on eyes on cloudy, rainy, or snowy days.
    #8
    Ugly Stik
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/13 14:10:37 (permalink)
    The winter bite can be very light and I generally give the fish some time before setting the hook. Winter also brings the occasional muskie.
    #9
    fallschirmjaeger
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/13 17:40:06 (permalink)
    Great discussion.  Thanks to everyone for their input and help.  Trust me, I more than likely won't be raking them in, but catching one here and there would put a fat grin on my face.  I appreciate it...
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    Jester2
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/14 10:29:49 (permalink)
    CAPTAIN HOOK
    River Walleyes start to gather in late Jan .- March to spawn in our areas . Look for a warming spell during any of these months to trigger more activity or try mid day on.
    Our go to lure .....Rapalas ....pick a color they all work...I like F13 size. Try and find any obstructions in the water farther up river or where you have caught Walleye before in spring. 
    These river Eyes were caught by my son a few years ago ...along with others. Cold wading and fishing but it pays off some days!

     
     


    Don't want to be a jerk Captain, but those two pre-spawn ladies are the future of the fishery.  Urge you and your son to put them back, and keep only males if possible.  Take a pic and release to let em spawn. Hard to tell in the smaller ones, but those (look to be 23-26") hogs might have 'paid it forward' by replacing themselves with another just like them 5 years down the road. Never got a chance. Plenty of ready and willing males to put tasty fillets on the table.
    #11
    Jester2
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/14 10:42:26 (permalink)
    Best way to put fish in the boat is w live bait IMO. If you're new to it, sein any small creek for anything in the 2-4" range. Chubs and small suckers work, but shiners are king. Needle circle hook in the size 8 or even 10 range. Tie hook to 12-15" of line, rig below swivel, with bell sinker above it so fish can grab bait w/o feeling weight.  Bell sinker should be heavy enough to keep you bumping bottom--but not stuck to it (you will snag constantly) given current. Small bait means you don't need to let them run w it. If you're missing them, they may not be feeding as aggressively . . . then, let them have it for a 5-8 count w/o too much pressure on line.  
     
    You can drag/drift or anchor with this method. If you anchor, feel line entire time to avoid a 12"er swallowing it and dying needlessly.
     
    Next best is rubber on jig with stinger hook. Dirtier water, darker colors for contrast. Clearer, can go chartreuse/watermelon/pink/white (in that order IMO). Want weight to be enough to have you on bottom w/o getting hung up. If you're not touching bottom on each cast, you won't catch Eyes.
     
    Graduate level anglers use blade baits . . . Cicadas in varying colors/accents. Know guys who swear by them and don't even chuck meat or jigs any more. I'm not that good, and only use it when the bite is great.  Need the right rod/line setup to feel the bite, which is often on the down jig rather than up.  
     
    Stiff rod essential regardless. Lighter the line, the better. I use 6lb magnathin (from boat not anchored). If you're anchored or shore fishing, can go up to 10 lb--and will need to.
     
    Hope that helps.  Allegheny and French Creek my go To's.  Mouths of creeks . . . no matter how small . .. underappreciated. If there is an eddy downstream from the creek going into larger body of water, there will be a few Eyes stacked there.
     
    Good luck!
     
     
    #12
    Jester2
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/14 10:45:32 (permalink)
    FishinGuy
    I fish Creek chubs for them. Bigger seems better for bait for me. 1/8 oz jig head or short shank hook with a split shot about 6" up. Cast up into a current seam and drag it real slow along the bottom. I do better on eyes on cloudy, rainy, or snowy days.

    Agreed.
     
    Sunny skies and clear water likely wasting your time until right before dark.
     
    But, really any overcast day will do if you find them.
     
    Some of my best days have been in the rain/snow when no one else is on the water.
    #13
    fallschirmjaeger
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/14 11:15:30 (permalink)
    Really great tips Jester...thank you.  Anyone have any concerns on the braid vs mono/flouro for river fishing eyes?
    #14
    BeenThereDoneThat.
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/14 23:41:07 (permalink)
    Fun stuff to help pass, cabin fever.

    https://youtu.be/KhFZkQE6QMI

    Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919)~
     
     
     
      Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
     
    #15
    treesparrow
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/15 18:06:45 (permalink)
    I ice fish for eyes when I can. Last couple years have been a bust and I have only caught a few. Three years ago I iced about 40. We had a long season with good ice. My son and I have caught eyes from Wilhelm Conneaut and Pymatuning. Pymatuning is the best in my opinion for catching eyes. I jig with Pimples, Jigging Raps or Blade Baits. Blade Baits are by far the best performers. Eyes move back and forth on bars. They come up on them in the evening and go back off in morning. If you can find the fish highway you will do well. Cloudy days seem best with early and late ice also best. It can be a long dull sit or quite exciting. Just when you think you have them figured out things change. I guess if I had it all figured out it wouldn't be any fun anymore.
    #16
    graveydavey
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/16 09:38:48 (permalink)
    You can't fish braid when its freezing weather.
    #17
    treesparrow
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/18 08:43:03 (permalink)
    I fish braid through the ice with a flouro leader. There are some braids designed for ice fishing. I have never tried casting braid in the winter and agree it probably would not work.
    post edited by treesparrow - 2019/01/11 12:22:55
    #18
    looch325
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    Re: Winter Walleye How-To 2018/12/20 22:05:49 (permalink)
    I like using a jigging rap in the winter whether we have ice or not in the winter. it's an ice lure(vertical jigging). gets down bottom easy, put it right in front of their face in a boat or on ice. ice I just use a smaller one normally. I've even found ways to catch sauger and walleye from the bank, off walls and turbines 
    .
    post edited by looch325 - 2018/12/20 22:15:48
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